Cumberland House to get new health centre

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A new health centre designed to serve the Cumberland House Cree Nation and the Village of Cumberland House is one step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to funding commitments from the provincial and federal governments.

Saskatchewan Health has announced it will provide $200,000 to go toward planning and design of the new centre, with Health Canada committing $60,000.

The new health centre will house existing health services currently provided by Cumberland House Cree Nation and by the Kelsey Trail Health Region, including primary care, public health, home care, health promotion and programs for people at high risk.

According to Saskatchewan Health Minister John Nilson, combining the health services for both communities within one facility will provide area residents with better access to services, while providing those services in a more efficient manner.

"Our government's top priority is improving the quality of health services and access to care, while ensuring our health system is sustainable into the future," Nilson said when announcing the provincial funding April 22.

"This is an excellent example of community collaboration," Northern Affairs Minister Buckley Belanger said of the health centre project. "I commend the many people who have come together on this project to ensure the Cumberland House community has access to the health services they need."

The province will be covering about 65 per cent of the cost of construction of the new health centre, with the remaining costs to be covered by the community and the federal government.

The project is still in the early planning stages, but construction is expected to begin sometime in 2004.